Joe Rogan Suggests Trump for California Governor Role

Podcaster Joe Rogan has proposed a provocative idea: that former President Donald Trump should run for governor of California after leaving the White House. During a recent episode of his Spotify show, The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan entertained the notion as a way for Trump to both “fix” the state and provoke liberals.

In conversation with British comedian Francis Foster and political commentator Konstantin Kisin, Rogan described how friends are “fleeing L.A.” due to the state’s left-leaning political atmosphere. He characterized the current climate in California as chaotic, stating, “It’s like everybody went crazy.” He linked this upheaval to the effects of the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests, and civil unrest.

Rogan continued by suggesting that Trump’s potential candidacy would be entertaining. He stated, “It would be hilarious if he did. It would be one of the funniest things of all time if an 82-year-old man steps into the office of governor of California. ‘We’re gonna fix everything. You’ve got a problem with water. I know how to get the water.’ It would be f***ing hilarious.”

This comment comes as Rogan appears to have distanced himself from Trump. The podcaster, who interviewed Trump during the climax of the last presidential election, has criticized the former president’s decision to deploy federal troops to Democrat-led cities. He also took issue with Trump’s remarks regarding his opponents, stating, “I don’t agree with any of that. He’s a nut.”

California’s current governor, Gavin Newsom, is term-limited and is expected to step down after the November 2026 gubernatorial election. Newsom is often viewed as having presidential ambitions, particularly as he has engaged in social media exchanges with Trump, mocking him publicly. Recently, he turned his attention to Rogan, calling him “snack-sized” and suggesting he had “chickened out” of appearing on Rogan’s show.

The tension between Rogan and Newsom has escalated, with Newsom expressing frustration about Rogan’s refusal to invite him onto his podcast. On the Higher Learning podcast, Newsom remarked, “Joe, why won’t you have me on the show? He won’t have me on the show. It’s one way.”

Interestingly, Newsom has previously expressed admiration for Rogan, stating in July during an appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show that he is a fan of Rogan, despite Rogan’s lack of support for him. Newsom said, “I feel like it’s a decade back in the day before Joe was Joe Rogan. He was just a podcaster, man. Now he’s a phenom.”

As the political landscape in California continues to shift, Rogan’s tongue-in-cheek suggestion has sparked discussions about the potential for high-profile figures to enter state politics, particularly in a state that has seen its share of political controversy and divisive issues.